Shadow Alchemist
by ShanaAlvarado29
Summary: Atemu Mouto is the newest State Alchemist, enlisted in a time just before all hell was about to break loose. Atemu, his shadow creatures, and his close friends and allies, must fight their way through the horrors of possible extinction by the hands of the Homunculi. Crossover with Fullmetal Alchemist, but I'm merely borrowing their world, and a few characters. Mild Prideshipping.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing. This story goes along the lines of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, only with a few tweaks, and centered on Atemu's life. The twists and tweaks not in Fullmetal Alchemist or Yu-Gi-Oh, then I guess I own those, but that's pretty paltry. **

* * *

**Prologue**

This was it. Today is the day of the semi-annual State Alchemist exams, and Atemu felt anxious and slightly nervous. He couldn't afford to fail. He must pass this exam and become a State Alchemist, or else his family wouldn't survive the year. Atemu found the idea of becoming a Dog of the Military abhorrent, but he had no other options.

His grandfather was declared disabled after he threw his back out, and he couldn't find work. With three young mouths to feed, the small family had gone for years on handouts and what they could steal from the market, and unfortunately that wasn't much.

The moment Atemu became of working age, he left his home in Dublith to find work in a new town. Too many people knew Atemu, and none were willing to hire a habitual thief. In the years that followed, Atemu worked several odd jobs here and there, and it did help put food on the table for his family, but it wasn't enough.

Barely even a month ago, Atemu's grandfather fell ill with influenza. They didn't have the money to pay for hospital care, and his grandfather would die without help. With Atemu's twin brother and sister barely eleven years old, Atemu had to find a way, and fast, to raise the money to pay for his grandpa's medical care. For a long time, nothing came to mind.

That was when Atemu heard about the State Alchemist exams. He heard that the military is paid incredibly well for their services to the State, and although he had indeed heard about the State Alchemists' involvement in the Ishvallan rebellion, Atemu had run out of choices.

While Atemu was growing up, a woman in his town was an accomplished Alchemist, and Atemu observed her technique well, learning the trade through sight and trial-and-error practice. Before long, he had mastered the art, and in time, developed his own unique style of alchemy.

He just hoped that what he knew would be enough to impress the examiners.

"Atemu Mouto, please proceed to the testing site."

Atemu stepped onto a large dirt courtyard. There were eight State Alchemists standing around the perimeter of the site, scattered about in groups of twos and threes. Atop a balcony, overhead, stood none other than Fuhrer King Bradley, who made it a habit of watching the exam proceedings, to gauge the mettle of his new potential soldiers. Two security and five other military soldiers flanked the Fuhrer.

"Do you need any materials to perform your alchemy?"

"No, sir." Atemu replied.

"Then you may begin." The exam supervisor proclaimed.

Atemu knelt and began drawing an elaborate transmutation circle in the dirt. Once he was finished, he pressed his palms to the ground.

To everyone's shock, the shadows in the courtyard began to tremble and shudder, as if trying to free themselves from the surfaces that they were bound to.

One by one, the shadows detached themselves from their places on the walls and the ground began to shift and solidify into creatures unlike anything those who were witnessing this alchemy had seen before.

Some were beautiful, having the appearance of humans. Some were small, pitiful-looking creatures resembling cotton balls with hands, feet, eyes, and horns. There were fierce beasts; one of them looked like a biped lion with red eyes, long, white claws, and a single horn on its forehead. There were large, serpentine creatures with long muzzles, short arms, long, slender bodies, powerful hind legs, long tails, and wings.

All those present were highly impressed.

The lion beast came toward Atemu and began nuzzling the boy's shoulder.

"If you'd like, I could offer a demonstration." Atemu said, directing his question toward the supervisor.

"You may." He replied.

"Would Lieutenant Roy Mustang use his fire alchemy on Gazelle here?" Atemu asked as he finally stood from his place on the ground and backed away a little just as a black-haired, black-eyed, pale man in a military uniform came forward, and he snapped his fingers.

A ring of fire circled the lion, smothering him in a sort of cage. It was a type of attack that would kill any normal creature.

When the flames dissolved, Gazelle shook out his fur, like a dog would when it was soaked with water, and trotted back to Atemu's side, completely unharmed.

"Major Armstrong, please aim one of your alchemy spikes toward my heart?"

The bulky, bear of a man looked hesitant, but the confidence radiating from Atemu made him comply. He hefted a large stone and tossed it into the air, punching it, and sending it rocketing toward Atemu.

Suddenly, a huge, white serpent beast whipped her long tail down on the spike, slamming it to the ground, while a humanoid creature clad in purple knocked Armstrong to the ground in the blink of an eye. The rest of the creatures looked about ready to tear out the major's throat.

"Stand down." Atemu barked, and each creature visibly relaxed. "You see, you cannot harm them, they're made from the shadows. However, they can harm my enemies, and they obey only me." Atemu explained.

Atemu returned the creatures back into their shadow forms.

A slow, steady clapping came from the Fuhrer up on the balcony, which triggered the applause from the others in attendance.

Bradley finally spoke when the furor died down, "I believe I speak for all that you would make a fine addition to the military, young man." He announced.

Atemu's chest felt lighter at the relief elicited from the Fuhrer's comment, "Thank you, your Excellency."

Bradley chuckled good-naturedly, "No need to thank me. You've earned this opportunity on your own."

* * *

Atemu stood before Colonel Roy Mustang's desk in his office. The colonel opened a black, velvet-lined box to show the gleaming silver pocket watch inside.

"This silver pocket watch is a symbol of your status as a State Alchemist. As such, you will now be required to assist the military in times of national emergency, but for the most part, you will have quite a bit of freedom while performing your duties. As of now, you are officially a Dog of the Military." Roy Mustang explained as Atemu took the pocket watch from its box and attached it to his trousers.

The colonel then handed Atemu a manila envelope, "When instated, every State Alchemist is assigned a code name."

"_I, Fuhrer King Bradley, hereby induct Atemu Mouto as a State Alchemist, and dub him the title of Shadow."_

And thus, Atemu Mouto, the Shadow Alchemist, was born.


End file.
